This week has a ton of stellar boxing action, but perhaps the biggest fight of early May is an undisputed championship showdown at the legendary Tokyo Dome. Of course, SBS is referring to undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue squaring off with the WBC mandatory challenge and former division 2 champion, Luis Nery. Depending on your time zone, this fight is set for May 5th or 6th in Japan and features two sensational fighters going at it. Of course, the champion is known for his sensational record of 26-0 along with his fantastic knockout-to-win ratio with 23 knockout finishes thus far in his career. Meanwhile, the challenger has accrued an impressive mark of 35-1 with 27 knockout decisions so far in his career.
For this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from each fighter, along with a predicted winner in this matchup and even more notes about boxing betting.
An extremely powerful fighter, Inoue has earned the nickname of “The Monster” thanks to his fantastic punching prowess. With an overall record of 26-0 with 23 knockouts, his accomplishments are astounding. Per multiple reports, he has held multiple world championships in four weight classes while also being the second male boxer in history to become the undisputed champion in two weight classes. Terence Crawford is the other fighter to do so. Moreover, he is the first and only boxer to win the undisputed championship at Super Bantamweight, having held all major titles since 2023, as well as the Ring magazine title.
As of this past month, Inoue is ranked as the world’s second-best active boxer, pound for pound, by The Ring, the Boxing Writers Association of America, and ESPN. Of course, he is also recognized as the world’s best active super bantamweight by multiple media outlets as well. The Fighter of the Year in 2023, Inoue makes his debut in 2024 in this matchup against Nery in his home country of Japan. In his last bout against Marlon Tapales back in December of last year, he won three separate titles (WBA (Super), IBF, and The Ring) thus unifying the super bantamweight crown. He did so in emphatic fashion by knocking out his opponent in the tenth round of their contest at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo. In fact, he has won his last seven fights by way of KO or TKO.
The challenger in this fight, Nery enters this contest with a record of 35-1 including 27 knockout victories. Per one outlet, he is a two-time weight world champion, having held the WBC and Ring magazine bantamweight titles between 2017 and 2018. This also includes the WBC super bantamweight title from 2020 to May 2021. Like Inoue, he was ranked last month as a top three super bantamweight fighter, coming in at the third spot for both BoxRec and ESPN. Since losing to Brandon Figueroa back in May of last year, he has rattled off four straight victories over the likes of Carlos Castro (split decision), Froilan Saludar (TKO), and David Carmona (TKO). While Figueroa was able to knock him out back in 2021, Nery has responded nicely and bolstered his impressive record with a solid streak of victories.
Hailing from Tijuana, Mexico, the 29-year-old last fought in Japan back in March of 2018 when he knocked out Shinsuke Yamanaka in the second round. Of course, he has perhaps never faced as dominating an opponent as Inoue who has basically run roughshod over the bantamweight ranks for years now. Nonetheless, Nery has been able to defeat nearly all of his opponents as well. This includes his split decision win over Castro who was then ranked as a top three super bantamweight by some outlets. Nery was able to drop his opponent in the first round and managed to do enough for the rest of the bout to score the victory.
Analysis: Another awesome boxing contest, this bout should go Inoue’s way. While Nery is certainly a formidable opponent, the champion has not really come close to losing as of late and does not appear to be slowing down. Of course, there is always the chance for a knockout upset, but this will not be the time Inoue scores another victory on his home soil at the Tokyo Dome.
After you are all squared away regarding all of the latest news and notes for this bout, make sure to check out the awesome array of information available to you only at SBS. Of course, for even more info and insights on the topic at hand, you should peruse the boxing betting sites guide which goes over all of the latest betting markets pertaining to the sport. Moreover, if you are interested in maximizing your wagers (and who isn’t), then check out the best bonus betting sites rundown which goes over some solid info. This includes a catalog of different bonus offers and tips for getting the most out of promos. Finally, if you are looking for some higher stakes wagering, then the VIP sports betting sites breakdown is a page you should explore to see if VIP betting is for you.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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